Diversity in relapse prevention needs: Gender and race comparisons among substance abuse treatment patients

Attempts to address high relapse rates following substance abuse treatment have focused on identifying relapse prevention needs and development of sub sequent relapse prevention programs. I;ew studies have examined whether wom en and African-Americans have unique relapse prevention needs. Research in this area could provide an initial basis for the development of alternative relapse prevention approaches that could be more appropriate for this popu lation. This study examined gender and race differences in psychosocial con cerns among patients recruited fi om substance abuse treatment as potential indicators of relapse prevention needs. Participants (N = 331)completed se veral questionnaires during their first month of substance abuse treatment. Assessment packets included measures of coping, self-efficacy. resource ne eds, cravings, social influences, exposure, and leisure activities. Analyse s focused on gender and race differences in these variables before and afte r controlling for background characteristics (i.e., age, marital status, in come, polysubstance use, treatment type, and problem severity). Gender diff erences: found were that men reported poorer coping skills and more negativ e social influences and exposure to substances than women; these difference s remained significant when controlling for background characteristics. Sig nificant race differences were found on all scales except negative social i nfluences. After controlling for background characteristics, African-Americ ans reported significantly greater coping skills and self-efficacy than did Caucasians; however, African-Americans also reported greater resource need s in comparison to Caucasians. Results highlight the diversity in psychosoc ial issues among substance abusers in treatment, particularly between Cauca sians and African-Americans. Implications for developing alternative relaps e prevention approaches to address this diversity are discussed.